Sociologists and psychologists have long recognized that a relationship exists between socially-deviant behavior and the lack of roletaking ability of the individuals exhibiting such behavior. More particularly, psychologists have long recognized that child development, both intellectually and emotionally, is in part dependent upon the roletaking capacities of their parents and teachers. Further, it has been recognized that the satisfactory and successful conduct of affairs in the adult world, especially in the area of communication and negotiation, is facilitated where the participants in a particular affair have the ability to take on the role of the other participants and to respond in such situations on the same emotional level as the other participants.
The study of roletaking, particularly with a view towards the establishment of systematic methods for development and measurement of roletaking ability, has thus been an important concern of sociological and psychological research. One method for such measurement that to some remote extent resembles the method disclosed and claimed herein is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,764,135, issued Oct. 9, 1973, to Madison and titled "Empathy Game." That game operationalizes empathy as roletaking ability, and yields an empathy score that is a composite of the number of times that both members of a dyad are able to assume a given role and then select the same response from a given number of responses, for a given number of situations. Madison's work provides a method for testing the same individual against a number of other individuals, sequentially. That is, one's capability concerning roletaking behavior may vary from one partner to the another, and Madison shows how that variance can be measured. Madison's work also teaches roletaking in that it offers an opportunity for the same two individuals to replay the game, and to make different response selections during such replay, in order to achieve a more desirable outcome. However, Madison's approach is limited to measurement of the cumulative number of roletaking instances between two players. His method is also limited to the predetermined role choice options provided by the game. Significantly, Madison's game makes no provision for estimating the varying amounts of emotional distance between players' response choices.
While the just mentioned efforts of Madison are suggestive of the fact that (a) measurement, and (b) stimulation of roletaking ability are both matters of importance, substantial progress in this field has heretofore been limited due to the lack of adequate methodology in the field.
Therefore, with respect to measurement of emotional distance between individuals, there remains a great, unresolved need for a reliable methodology which can:
(i) measure the emotional distance between differing responses when individuals do not select the same response to a given situation; PA1 (ii) enable individuals to create and interpret their own responses when there are no predetermined response choices available; PA1 (iii) identify the issues over which individuals experience emotional distance; PA1 (iv) utilize skills learned from use of the method to interpret and modify relationships in everyday life; and which ideally, can (v) measure the emotional distance between the selected responses of more than two individuals at the same time. PA1 1) measuring roletaking ability; PA1 2) measuring the emotional distance between interactants' responses to a given situation when the parties do not take the role of the other; PA1 3) identifying those issues that prevent particular combinations of persons from putting themselves in the role of others; and PA1 4) providing strategies that interactants can use to improve their roletaking abilities in every-day life. PA1 First, polite EXPLANATION, that neither agrees with nor disagrees with the other, expresses a slight emotional distance between interactants. Explanation is not necessary when people are in agreement. PA1 Second, COMPLIANT behavior is a polite response to a request and expresses slightly more emotional distance than explanation. When someone makes a request, compliance is expected. PA1 Third, when a person REQUESTS a response from the other, his or her behavior expresses slightly more emotional distance than compliant behavior. PA1 First, an expression of DISAGREEMENT shows more emotional distance than request. PA1 Second, AVOIDANCE, which is tinged with aggression, indicates more emotional distance than disagreement. PA1 Third, MAKING POINTS behavior, that is behavior which tends to be rude or PUT someone DOWN, is the most emotionally distant behavior of all.
Particularly in Asian societies, such as in Japan, the ability to respond in a socially acceptable manner, not emotionally distant from others involved, is an important social and business skill. For example, in many business situations, it may be the potential "loss of face" and not the immediate business economic consequences which are paramount in business decisionmaking. Understanding the motivating forces behind such behavior in business decisions which maintain "face" or result in "loss of face" would be of particular advantage for businessmen dealing with such cultures.
Because the linkage between (i) the way that a particular behavior functions, (ii) the level of emotional distance that such behavior expresses, and (iii) the differences in interactants' perspectives on such behavior, given the same situation, has not heretofore been described, scientists and others have encountered serious difficulties in attempting to measure emotional distance between individuals as it relates to roletaking. Still more difficult has been the stimulation and development of roletaking ability in individuals. This problem has been exacerbated given the lack of any systematic method for developing such roletaking ability. Further, there exists a need for a system which enables the development of roletaking ability in a variety of settings.
In summary, with respect to roletaking, there currently exists in the art a great need for new and improved methods for:
In addition, a critical need currently exists in the field of psychotherapy for a method which enables the development of roletaking ability. Moreover, it is likely that most social relationships could be significantly improved by increasing the roletaking abilities of the participants. Finally, for persons desiring to increase their own roletaking capabilities, or desiring to encourage roletaking development in others, there clearly exists a need for simple methods for measuring, understanding, stimulating and developing such roletaking ability.